Can opener



6, 1954 F. c. DETTMAN CAN OPENER Filed April 19, 1954 m m w.

FREE [3. DETTMAN BY 3 p ATTDRHEY Patented Oct. 26, 1954 U1!) YATES OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to can openers and more particularly to a can opener of the type adapted to shear a hole in the can top.

In can openers of the type described, it has often been the practice to employ the rim of the can as a bearing point for piercing the can top, particularly where an opening of considerable area is made. Such openings generally result in the cut away metal being bent against the inside side wall of the can, or result in a hole located away from the rim of the top, so that free flow from the can in pouring is prevented. When the rim of the can does not provide a sufficient shoulder, such devices as depend upon the rim as a bearing point are ineffective.

The present invention is directed to a can opener which utilizes the rim of the can solely as a guide for the can-top opening cutting operation, the cutting being done by a plunger having a stroke substantially parallel with the axis of the can, or the corresponding longitudinal dimension, where the can is other than circular. The present invention is further directed to the cutting of a broad U-shaped tongue, which is adapt ed to be bent inwardly toward the can center, the out being made close to the rim whereby substantially unobstructed flow over the rim of the can may be had.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the can opener, with parts broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure 1 taken substantially on the line 2-2;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line :l l of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a can showing the location and shape of the opening cut; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner in which the cut metal may be formed out of the Way.

In Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a main support bar Hi having its upper end 52 formed at right angles to provide a guide, and its lower end [4 ofiset from the main body portion or upward extension It to provide a shoulder recess l8 adapted to engage the edge or rim of a can. Slidably mounted on the bar ill is a channel-sectioned cutter 26 having cutting edges 22, 24, and 26, arranged to provide a three-sided generally rectangular cut in the end El of a can 25. As shown in Figure 5, the cuts are indicated by the reference characters 39, 3:? and and-the rectangular tongue out thereby is indicated at it. It will be noted that the cut 32 lies close to the rim of the can, and the tongue in being cut will be deflected inwardly and hinged along the line 37! toward the can center, where it will have the least tendency to obstruct the flow from the can. In practice, the cutting edge 2% could be arouate, so that the out 32 will lie on an are somewhat concentrie with the can rim, thereby cut ting the can as close to the cylindrical side wall as possible, whereby substantially unobstructed flow from the can results. While the cutting edge 24 is shown as inclined, it will of course be understood that a transverse cutting edge may be employed, if desired.

The channel-sectioned member is provided with a yoke 36, having a central portion ill bridging the flanges ii-2 and M of the channel member, side flank portions it and ts, and inwardly directed end flanges 47 and 4a adapted to slidingly embrace the body portion it of the bar is. The side flank portions are tied together by a transverse bar fill, which slides on the inside face of the bar it, and acts to space the channel cutting member from the bar It, sufficient to allow for the thickness of the can side wall and rim, and any seam between the side wall and the can end.

The central portion it of the yoke 38 is provided with an inwardly bent tongue 52, which forms with the channel member a socket for receiving the head end 54 of the plunger 58. The head end is slotted as at 58, and engages a centering ridge 6t formed on the tongue The plunger extends through an aperture in the inwardly bent portion 62 of the channel member, the portion being an integral extension of the channel web G l. A compression spring Eli, threaded on the plunger 56, bears against the head 53 and the inwardly bent portion 62. The plunger extends through an aperture in the upper end l2 of the bar it, and is provided at its end with a threaded portion fill adapted to re ceive a knob 58, and lock nut Ell. Between the lock nut and the end [2, there is positioned on the plunger, a compression coil spring E2.

The plunger is adapted to slide the channel member with its cutting edge through a stroke, the length Of which can be varied by changing the position of the knob, the lock nut being loosened to permit the change by threading the knob along the plunger end. In this manner, any desired stroke may be provided.

1 by angularly projecting the threaded end 61 of the plunger, with the coil spring 66 threaded thereon, upwardly through the aperture in the end portion 62 of the channel member, and thence through the aperture in the end 12 of the bar l0, compressing spring 66 until the head clears the upper edge of the yoke 38, after which the plunger is swung into alignment within the channel member and the head allowed to seat within the pocket with its slot 58 engaging the tongue ridge Bil, the spring 66 thereafter holding the plunger in place.

To assure that the can opener will firmly seat upon the edge of a can and be held in position during the cutting operation, a transverse member 13 secured to the bar H3, having angularly extending inwardly ofiset wings M and i6, is provided. The lower edges 78 and 8B of such wings are extended slightly and have relatively sharp edges 82 and 84, which engage the can top, inside the rim thereof, and prevent the can opener from slipping from cutting position.

The end portion is of the bar not only aids in holding the can opener properly positioned during the opening operation, but may be subsequently employed to pry the cut tongue 35 inwardly and under the can top, as shown in Figure 6, so as to be completely moved out of the opening, and to thereby prevent it from obstructing free fiow from the can. Such end portion may be formed with a concave surface extendin lengthwise thereof to embrace the cylindrical curvature of the can side wall, if desired.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A can top opener comprising a support memher having a portion adapted to lie along the cylindrical side of a can, an extension thereof offset inwardly adapted to extend above the can, said offset being adapted to bear upon the rim of a can, a channel-sectioned member slidably mounted on said extension with its open side facing away from said extension and having on its lower end a channel-shaped cutting edge, and means for guiding the sliding movement of said chan nel-sectioned member whereby to cut a channelshaped tongue from the top of the can immediately inside the rim thereof, when the cutting edge is moved downwardly below the shoulder.

2. A can top opener comprising a support member having a portion adapted to lie along the cylindrical side of a can, an extension thereof offset inwardly adapted to extend above the can and having an inbent upper end, said offset forming a shoulder adapted to bear upon the rim of a can, a channel-sectioned member slidably mounted on said extension with its open side facing away from said extension and having on its lower end a channel-shaped cutting edge, means for guiding the sliding movement of said channelsectioned member upon the extension, an operating guide rod nested in the channel and adapted to move therewith, said rod extending upwardly through an aperture in said inbent end,

a knob on the upper end of said rod, and a return spring threaded on said rod between said knob and inbent end.

3. A can top opener comprising asupport member having a portion adapted to lie along the cylindrical side of a can, an extension thereof offset inwardly adapted to extend above the can and having an inbent upper end, said offset forming a shoulder adapted to bear upon the rim of a can, a channel-sectioned member slidably mounted on said extension with it open side facing away from said extension and having on its lower end a channel-shaped cutting edge, means for guiding the sliding movement of said channel-sectioned member upon the extension, an operating guide rod nested in the channel and adapted to move therewith, said rod extending upwardl through an aperture in said inbent end, and being threaded along its upper end,'a knob and lock nut threaded on said upper end to vary the stroke of said channel member, and a coil spring on said rod between said nut and inbent end.

4-. A can top opener comprising a support member having a portion adapted to lie along the cylindrical side of a can, an extension thereof offset inwardly adapted to extend above the can and having an inbent upper end, said offset forming a shoulder adapted to bear upon the rim of a can, a channel-sectioned member slidably mounted on said extension with its open side facing away from said extension and having on its lower end a channel-shaped cutting edge,

to said channel member having guide fingers embracing said extension, said yoke having means forming a pocket within said channel member, for guiding the sliding movement of said channelsectioned member, said channel member having an inbent portion at its upper end, an actuating rod extending through apertures in said extension inbent end and said inbent portion, and having its lower portion nested in said channel and having a head on its lower endseated in said pocket, and a coil spring threaded in said lower portion and bearing on said head and against said inbent portion.

5. A can top opener comprising a support member having a portion adapted to lie along the cylindrical side of a can, an extension thereof offset inwardly adapted to extend above the can and having an inbent upper end, said offset forming a shoulder adapted to bear upon the rim of a can, a channel-sectioned member slidably mounted on said extension with its open side facing away from said extension and having. on its lower end a channel-shaped cutting edge, means including a yoke embracing and secured to said channel member having guide fingers embracing said extension, said yoke having means forming a pocket within said channel member, for guiding the sliding movement of said channel-sectioned member, said channel member having an inbent portion at its upper end, an actuating rod extending through apertures in said extension inbent end and said inbent portion, and having its lower portion nested'in said channel and having a head on its lower end seated in said pocket, a coil spring threaded in said lower portion and bearing on said head and against said inbent portion, a knob on the upper end of said rod, and a return spring disposed upon said rod between said knob and inbent end.

No references cited, 

